Savings-bank.



1. B. CARROLL. SAVINGS BANK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. I915.

1,,Q27,58U.. I Patented May 29,1917.

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more particularly pointed out in the JOHN B. CARROLL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAVINGS-BANK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed. April 23, 1915. Serial No. 23,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. CAnRoLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Savmgs-Banks, of

which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying vide a cheap and simple device which may be automatically locked so as to prevent the opening thereof except by authorized persons, and so constructed that co1ns of predetermined denominations may be 111- serted therein at will but cannot be removed therefrom except by one having the proper key. To these ends, my invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter described and definitely claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1, is an edge view of a receptacle embodying the features of my inventlon,

Fig. 2, is an interior View. of one of the walls or sections of said receptacle, showing portions of the locking elements,

Fig. 3, is a like view of the opposite section with counterpart locking features, 35

Fig. 4:, is a transverse section taken upon the line %l, Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown, and

Fig.5, is a section taken upon the line 5,

Fig.4, viewed as indicated by the arrow.

The receptacle or container is composed generally of two separate parts or sectlons preferably constructed from sheet-metal, and'forming'when united, a short cylindricaljcase having end walls 1 and 2, each being provided with thefollowing descr bed intervening members, which, when united, constitute the cylindrical portion.

Formed upon the periphery of the wall 1, is an inturned flange 3, which is crlmped into permanent and rigid engagement'in a well-known way with an outwardly flaring flange 4, Figs. 4 and 5, formed upon a ring-like member generally des1gnated by 5. A like flange 6 is in crimped engagement with an outwardly flaring flange 7 formed upon a counterpart ring member 8.

wardly by means of The ring member 5 is bent or pressed, in-

a suitable die, to form a circumferential shoulder 9, Figs. 3, 4c and 5, thence parallel with the circumferential body portion and concentric therewith as shown at 10 to form a reduced ring portion for the purpose hereinafter stated. Formed upon the ring portion 10, and integral therewith, are two or more, but preferably two, inturned flanges 11, 11, which are located in a common plane at right angles to the axis of the cylindrical portion and intended to form locking flanges as hereinafter explained. Midway between the, adjacent ends of the flanges-11, is an inturned flange 12, which is slightly flared, as shown, at an angle to the plane-of the flanges 11.

The ring members 5, and 8, are of corresponding diameter and the latter is crimped inwardly upon itself as shown at 13, Figs. 1 and 5, so as to form the edge of said ring to rest against the shoulder 9, while the inturned portion is intended to inclose and lit over the reduced ring portion 10, of the ring 5. Locking flanges 14, 14 similar to the flanges 11, are formed upon the parts 13, which flanges are parallel with and adapted, when the structure is closed, to rest part locking flanges 11. A flaring inturned flange 15, intended as a counterpart to the flange 12, is formed upon the ring 8, directly opposite to the part 12, the angle or direction of flare being reversed with respect to that of its counterpart. The flanges 12 and 15 are spaced apart as shown to form a coin-slot 16, better shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the length and width of which is intended to conform to the relative diameter and thickness of a given coin.

An expansion locking ring 17 is secured within the member 2 by means of a tongue 18, Figs. 2 and' l, which is formed upon the flange extending inwardly from the ring against the counter- '8 and is passed through a slot 19, formed midway between the ends of said ring and bent laterally as shown to hold the same in place. The free ends of said expansion ring are located adjacent to the ends of the coin slot as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, which slot is diametrically opposite to the tongue 18, or securing point of the ring. Longitudinal slots 20, 20, are formed in said expansion ring in position to receive the two pairs of locking flanges 11 and 14, when said flanges an oflset to permit a are brought together, as shown in Figs. 4: and 5. The locking spring is so formed as to assume the normal position shown in Fig. 2, with the flanges 14, extended through the slots. Upon bending said spring by bringing the opposite ends toward each other, as hereinafter described, andindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the ring 8 may be placed in position so that the flanges 11 may rest against and in pa 'allel relation to the flanges 1 1.

Key openings 21, 21, Figs. i and 5, are formed in the free ends of the locking spring to receive a key device for drawing said ends together for the purpose of unlocking the case section. Such a device may consist of tweezers 22, having flat arms with hook-shaped ends adapted to be inserted within the coin-slot and openings 21, so as to draw the ends of the spring toward each other enough to free the flanges 11 from the slot as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby enabling the two sections of the case to be separated. The case may be locked, unlocked and otherwise manipulated as follows:

Upon grasping the detached sections in opposite hands, the two parts should be so held as to bring the lips or parts 12 and 15, which form the coin slot, opposite to each other. But inasmuch as the arms or opposite portions of the spring 17 are in normal positions as shown in Fig. 2, it follows that the two sections of the case when directly opposite to each other or in concentric relation, cannot be pressed together because the flanges 11 of one section Will bear against the outer edge of the locking spring.

Hence, it follows that the spring must be.

compressed in order to permit an abutting contact between the flanges 11 and 1a. This may, of course, be accomplished by means of the unlocking tool as indicated in Fig. 2, but I prefer to do it by merely manipulating the sections, which may be accomplished in the following manner: The sections being held together, are moved laterally in opposite directions a sufficient distance out of concentric registration to permit the inner edge of one of the flanges 11, to bear against the outer periphery of one arm of the spring 17, while the other flange 11 rests with its face against the edge of the other arm. The direction of movement of the sections is then reversed, so that the first named arm is bent sufliciently by the pressure thereon of the flange 11 to enable the opposite flange 11 to be slipped over the opposing arm of the spring 17. The spring being then embraced and compressed between the opposing edges of the two flanges, the case sections are again brought into concentric relation and pressed together until the flanges 11 and let contact in the plane of the slot 20, thereby releasing the spring arms which recoil to their respective normal positions with the cminter mrt flanges projected through the slots, thus holding the two case sections in locked engagement, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5... The flangesor lips 12 and 15, are so positioned and flared with respect to each other that when a coin is pressed between them they will yield to permit its passage, but are normally so close together as to prevent the removal of a coin. When the requisite number of coins are accumulated they may be removed by inserting the proper bifurcated key, engaging the openings 21 in the locking spring and drawing the ends of said spring toward each other until the flanges 11 are freed from the slot 20, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the sections of the case may be separated. 1

I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown, inasmuch as it may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A structure of the class described, comprising, in combination, a case composed of separable counterpart sections adapted to be united in a predetermined plane between the end walls, locking flanges upon said sections adapted to rest against each other in parallel relation when the sections are joined, and an expansible locking ring having slots therein adapted to receive counterpart locking flanges therein when said ring is expanded to lock said sections together. i

2. A structure of the class described, comprising, in combination, a case composed of separable counterpart sections adapted to be united in a given plane between the end walls, in which plane is located a coin-slot, locking flanges upon said sections adapted to contact in parallel relation when the sections are joined, an expansible locking ring having slots therein for engaging said flanges to hold them in locked relation when said ring is expanded, said ring beingprovided with key-engaging means at its ends in operable proximity to said coin-slot to enable said ring to be contracted to release its engagement with said locking flanges.

3. A structure of the class described, comprising, in combination, separate case sections having permanent end walls, circumferential wall portions extending laterally therefrom to form a junction with each other, inturned locking flanges upon each of said circumferential wall portions, said flanges being arranged to contact with each other in parallel relation, a coin-slot being formed in said wall portions and an expansible locking ring located within said circumferential wall portions, the free ends of which are ad acent to said coin-sl0t, said ring being provided with longitudinal slots therein for receiving said locking flanges and holding them in locked relation when said ring is expanded.

4. A structure of the character specified, comprising separable case-sections with a coin-slot therein, said sections having counterpart circumferential wall portions provided with inturned locking flanges formed to contact with each other in parallel planes, an expansible locking-ring located within said circumferential wall portions, said ring being provided with longitudinal slots for receiving said locking flanges to hold them in locked relation when said ring is expanded and means for attaching said ring substantially midway between its ends to one of said sections.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of April,

JOHN B. CARROLL. Witnesses:

DAVID H. FLETCHER, JENNIE L. FISKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

